Portugal - Days 3-6.
We walked a total of 6 days in Portugal. The trail generally went through shaded lanes, and quiet country roads. We usually stopped about every 5-6 km for a drink & banho break. The weather was cool in the morning but warmed up in the afternoon. We learned so much about Portuguese history particularly in the town of Braga known as the ecclesiastical centre of Portugal. It also has a rich Roman heritage. In fact many of the trails we walked on followed original Roman roads. Braga boasts a huge cathedral that was started in 1070 on the site of a church that had been destroyed by the moors. In it’s early days it provided refuge for pilgrims traveling the Camino. We had one of the best meals in a a very classy restaurant in Braga. A stunning array of appetizers including olives, sardines, cheeses, quail eggs & a salad. I think the main course was fin and chicken. The dessert was a chocolate fudge brownie with vanilla ice cream. For all our lunches and dinners there was plenty of wine! At lunch, it was often locally produced but at dinners the wine came from the surrounding wine regions. Another meal worth mentioning was at the home of Fernanda & Jacinto Fernandez who have welcomed pilgrims to their home for a meal and/or overnight stay for many years. She served a sumptuous lunch for 13 of us in her kitchen which included, salads, bread, potatoes, bbq chicken, roast pork in a sauce, delicious grilled octopus, wine and fruit- all for only 10 Euros. At the end of Day 4 , having walked18 km, we were bused to an elegant, historic Pousada overlooking the sea at Viana do Castelo on the north bank of the Lima River estuary. This was an important seaport during the Portuguese Age of Discovery and in the days of colonial rule, goods from thePortuguese colony of Brazil arrived in this harbour. The next day ( day 5) we had lunch at a seafood restaurant on the beach and then walked barefoot about 5 km on the beach back to Viana do Castelo. Only one of our guides Garry went for a swim in the ocean. Next day we were bussed back to the Central Route to Ruiaes where we started a walk of about 18 km to the historic border town of Valenca do Minho overlooking the Miño River, on the border of Portugal& Spain. We stayed at another Pousada (which means country home or manor), located inside a medieval fortress and tucked away in aa tangle of cobblestone streets. This was probably one of my favourite places to stay mainly because of the room and the view. I had a lovely deck to sit out on too. A pleasant surprise that evening was that we got to enjoy an amazing fireworks display right outside our window! Portugal was full of surprises. I didn't expect the the landscape to be so lush with lots of trees and running water. There were natural springs everywhere feeding streams and little waterfalls.
Spain Days 7-12
On Day 7 we were bussed to Porrino, Spain where we started the last 100 km of the Camino. In order to receive the official certificate for the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, you have to walk or bicycle the last 100 km and get at least 2 dated stamps in your credencial ( type of passport) every day of your journey. We had to climb a very steep hill that day in very warm, sunny weather. We also had a very steep decline to navigate which was hard on the knees. Unfortunately that morning one of the members of our group fell at a cafe & broke her wrist. She was taken to a local hospital where a doctor set her arm in a cast. The reward for a more strenuous walk of 20 km was to be taken to a luxurious seaside Parador in Baiona where we stayed for2 nights. Unfortunately the pool wasn’t open yet. On Day 8 which was May Day, we walked from Redondela toPontevedra alongside the Ria de Vigo. The trail passes through eucalyptus forest which has a lovely fragrance. We passed a number of Roman milestones marking the ancient Roman road Via XIX which linked the coast to the inland towns in the era of Roman occupation. of the highlights for me on this stage was meeting up with a Spanish piper playing a Gaelic instrument called a
It was so inspiring to hear beautiful bagpipe music in the middle of a forest. The other highlight was that we had our first picnic, creatively prepared by Enrique one of our guides. Menu included gazpacho, wine, salads, ham and whitefish. We ate in a small shaded park with a spring fed fountain, right next to the trail. I have forgotten to say that we were now in Galicia, a distinct region of Spain with it’s own language and customs. When we reached Pontevedra, a lively town with a a delightful medieval area, we visited the beautiful 18th century pilgrim chapel conceived by the architect Arturo Souto, and built in the Baroque style with a floor plan in the shape of a scallop shell. The Virgin of the Peregrines stands above the alter. We walked a total of 20 km.
The next 2 days we only walked about 12 km each day to kind of rest up for the Days 11& 12 which would be more demanding. Day 10 was memorable because we arrived at Caldas de Reis which means “Royal Spa”where we were able to put our feet in a pilgrim foot fountain fed by natural warm spring water. Caldas de Rei has been known since Celtic times for the thermal waters which gushed from the ground. Caldas de Reis was a major spa for the Romans and has a lot of Roman archeological remains. We had our final picnic here which was even better than the first because we had fresh bread. Our guide Garry’s wife & 3 children joined us for lunch. They were delightful!
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